ABOUT TOWN / LA COFFEE

our team is filled with LA locals who have lived here for years and keep a running list of their favorite places in town. los angeles can be an overwhelming city to visit (or even live in) with a constant array of new places opening and old classics that can’t be missed. we’re creating a new “about town” column that will cover all things los angeles. if there is something that you want us to touch on leave it in the comments. but today, we have a topic that is close to my heart – coffee. i pulled the team and these are our favorites for sipping, sitting, eating and snapping. they are numbered below but in no particular order. – joanie

1. ALFRED COFFEE | melrose place

a classic los angeles coffee shop that coined the phrase, “but first coffee” they have multiple locations but the melrose place shop is my favorite. i order and recommend the half sweet vanilla latte. and they sell pressed juice.

2. DINOSAUR COFFEE | silver lake

simple, straight forward coffee shop. they have wifi and outdoor seating. if you’re looking for an the plant wall in the back of the shop is calling your name.

SEE ALL OF OUR COFFEE SHOP FAVES AFTER THE JUMP…

3. DEMITASSE | santa monica

forget the coffee and go for the hot chocolate with the marshmallow.

4. PROOF BAKERY | atwater village

small, not the best place to sit and hang but they have excellent pastries, a really good chocolate chip cookie and their coffee is delicious. the little sandwiches and quiches are amazing too.

5. CAFÉ DE LECHE | highland park.

easy neighborhood spot. order the horchata espresso. plenty of seating but be warned, there is wifi only on weekdays.

6. CIVIL COFFEE | highland park

they have a great food menu, delicious homemade almond milk, a really pretty tile floor for photos and plenty of sitting but, no wifi. dirty chai is my drink of choice.

7. FIX COFFEE | echo park

a local favorite in echo park, good ambiance, nice outdoor seating and good food (especially salads) to pair with your coffee.

8. INTELLEGENTSIA | silver lake

a classic, almost always crowded (unless you go before 8:30am) but i think they have the best pour-over coffee in town. this joint is on the pricey side. oh, and they have the tile floor that you’ve seen a thousand times on . grab a coffee and peek in the flower shop next door.

9. ANDANTE | west hollywood

they roast their own beans which makes for a great vacation souvenir, friendly service, wifi and good coffee.

10. COFFEE COMMISSARY | burbank

i just really like this place. love their breakfast food, nice variety of beans and not filled with snobby people. they also have two other locations that are both great.

11. BLACK TOP COFFEE | arts district

tiny but worth a visit if you’re downtown, homemade almond milk, beautiful avocado toast and nice baristas who know how to make a killer latte. and they have the out front on fridays.

12. THE SEMI-TROPIC | echo park

this place is a home run: beer, wine, coffee, awesome food, friendly staff, wifi – what more do you want?

13. GO GET EM TIGER COFFEE | larchmont

their almond macadamia nut latte forever and ever. also, their toast game is strong.

14. THE HELIO CAFE | east hollywood

the best (and most reasonably priced) drip coffee in town.

15. DOCUMENT COFFEE BAR | koreatown

the perfect place to study/chill at with their reliable wifi and really good cold brew, must try their signature document cold.

16. BALCONI COFFEE COMPANY | west side

try a their green tea latte or siphon coffee!

17. SHORT CAKE LA | in the farmer’s market at the grove

when you’re shopping at the grove and you need a break this is the place. they have the best almond croissants. it’s just a walk up bar nestled into the farmer’s market area but there is sitting around it.

18. VERVE COFFEE | west hollywood & downtown

an worthy coffee destination that also sells juice if you’re already over-caffeinated.

what do you think, are we missing any? what would you like us to round up next? brunch, shopping, dinner, healthy spots? we are all ears on this new column!

19. | echo park, venice, culver city, beverly grove & downtown

their new orleans style iced coffee is the best and the echo park location serves a full breakfast and lunch menu and it’s delicious. try the avocado toast!

So glad your doing this! I was coming out there in February for first time and wanted to know of good coffee places! Also great things to see and do there. Places to eat! Email me any more recommendations you might have! Would greatly appreciate it!

You should check out Bow Truss! Awesome beans and thoughtful baristas. The new location at 340 N Camden is the first one to open outside of Chicago. I recommend their single origin natural process Ethiopia Aricha-tastes like straight black cherry goodness.

Hi Joanie, thanks for sharing your coffee favorites. Maybe you girls can do a Weekend in LA Guide where you share your favorite places to stay, shop, dine and hang if you are in town for a shorter visit.

Paramount Coffee Project (affectionately acronym-ed “PCP”) is where I get my almond milk latte every morning. Across from Canter’s in Fairfax Village – the nicest Aussies run this establishment, and it’s the only PCP in the world outside of the flagship in Sydney. Xo keep buzzing, gals.

I love your fun round-up! I’ve only been to LA once, and it was only because I flew into LAX for a wedding in Santa Barbara. But, I’m really wishing we had the chance to check out these spots while we were there!

Last I heard (and by heard I mean yelped) Dinosaur stopped offering wifi… As pretty as that place is as an experience! I LOVE cafes and am totally willing to pay those LA coffee shop prices, but have to skip this one now because unfortunately not being able to jump on wifi if I need to for work is a deal breaker! Now I happily hand over my daily $5 to one of the many other cafes nearby. I haven’t tried Document or Helio, but they’ll be my next stops!

I would add Copa Vida in Pasadena. They have great coffee & tea, but have especially good brunch/lunch items. I usually get the chorizo egg hash, mmm. Plus one whole wall is windows so it feels so bright and cheery. Their baked goods are good, too. (And wifi all the time except weekend mornings, because it gets so busy they don’t want people camping out for hours, which makes sense.)

H Coffeehouse in Los Feliz is pretty rad! It’s attached to Home Resturant, smallish, but a popular work and meeting spot with indoor and outdoor seating. They have some awesome looseleaf teas, nitro cold brews, delicious bakery items and toasts, and one of my favorite almond lattes around.
Also Trails Cafe in Griffith Park! They make their own almond milk and offer a fab lavender scone.